Apps to Use While on Vacation

Picture App

Most phones typically come with a picture taking app preloaded, and in many cases this is the only photo tool you need.  Before you depart, clear out any existing pictures you have saved to make room for new pictures.  There's nothing worse than discovering you have no space left and no way to remove the old pictures on your camera. Do you delete old pictures to take new ones or forego taking new pictures? Avoid the a hassle completely and upload your pictures to your web photo album before leaving home. Some phones have the ability to have additional storage space via a removeable SD card. Invest in one if you plan to use your phone to store a lot of media.

Word Lens

If your travel includes an international visit, download the Word Lens app and set it up with with the language of your destination.  When you open the app and place text in front of the camera it will translate the text on screen from the selected language to the desired language. The app is still somewhat new and not all languages are available yet. The all works offline so you don’t need an internet connection for it to work.

Skype or Google Hangouts

Staying in touch on the road can be difficult and expensive.  If you're traveling domestically this may not be a problem. For international travelers, find a wifi connection and open up one of these apps. Be sure to take the time before departure to register and set up your account. When youre on the road you can simply dial another users web account or phone number and be connected.

Tripadvisor

Almost all travelers today consult Tripadvisor when in someplace new and looking for a place to stay, something to eat, or to find something to do.  Locations are peer reviewed and rated. You may not want to plan your entire trip around the site but if you're stuck it can be a good spot to see what's popular or may not be in the guidebooks.

Weather App

This Is another app that comes preloaded on most phones but there are dozens of others available for free download or a small fee. The other apps have a variety of different features that can be customized based on your needs.

Maps App

There are plenty of good mapping apps on the market. Some cater to those driving, while others focus on public transportation, and still others on walking routes.  Depending on your needs while traveling find an app or apps that best fit your specific needs. If you plan to do  a lot of walking having driving directions won't be very useful.

Your phone is a powerful tool that can help take your trip from good to great. Take lots of pictures to remember this special time and take time afterwards to download your images and add them to your favorite online photo galleries. You'll be ready for the next time wanderlust strikes!

Things to Consider When Starting a Home Based Business

Starting a business from your home can sound very appealing. Making use of things like selling stock images from your online photo galleries or starting a service based online business can be as easy as firing up your laptop and putting up a website. It can be incredibly inexpensive as well. However there are still considerations to keep in mind as you launch your new business.

There are considerations before beginning any type of business even a home-based one.

1. Check Out the Local Laws for Registering and Zoning a Home Business. There are still regulations that you’ll need to follow depending on the local community and state you live in. In most cases you won’t find any problems unless you’re meeting clients at home or posting business advertising in your yard.

2. Tax Laws. When you decide to move from hobby to business you’re subject to different tax exemptions, deductions and payments. Sites like www.irs.gov can give you the information you need. There are often small business bureaus in communities that can be helpful too.

3. Have an Independent Work Space. This could be as simple as using a spare bedroom or den with a door to keep your work separate. If a workshop is needed, consider using a garage or purchasing a large outbuilding. You may want to create independent accounts online (separate from your personal accounts) for things like email, web photo albums, and bookmarking sites.

4. Use Multiple Methods to Find Clients. Some ideas include: viral marketing, flyers and direct mailings, email marketing, or setting up a website.

A home-based business is an alternative for people who want to create something of their own without spending a lot in upfront costs. By spending some time to make sure that everything is set up correctly you’ll save yourself a lot of headaches and potentially a lot of money down the road.

Tips for Setting up Your New Website

You’ve taken the big step to create your own website. Maybe it’s for professional reasons, you want an online space to share your thoughts, or you’re starting a small business. Whatever the reason here are three tips to make sure you start off on the right foot.

Think it Through

Before you start adding loads of content, think through what you want your page to be about. Sit down and create a statement that sums up your page. Then brainstorm as many potential topics as you can. All of the information you add should relate to this overarching goal and theme. It’s easy to stray off path but you’ll end up with a website that is a mess and readers who are confused. You may want to implement a content calendar to make sure you’re staying on track, keeping users informed about sales, or other pertinent information that relates to your business or topic you are writing about.

Appearance

You want to make sure your website looks nice and is easy to read. Avoid dark colors and styles that include too much to look at. Your readers want to be able to find and read the information you are posting and if there’s too much clutter they won’t be able to find it – and the won’t come back. You may want to hire a graphic designer to help you with the layout and appearance of your site.

Visual Aids

In today’s online world images and video are important. Create online photo galleries to house the images that you plan to use. You might have one dedicated web photo album that shows up on your actual website. Incorporate video if it adds to your site but be careful with any video that automatically plays. It’s better to let the user decide if they want to click play or not.

With web photo albums and online photo galleries you can even separate them into special folders to house important information for your customer base.

Three Cheap Summer Vacation Ideas

Summer vacations can be very expensive, especially if you have children. Even the quintessential summer road trip can rack up thousands of dollars depending on how far you go and for how long. You don’t have to go far to enjoy a fun summer! The most important part is having a memorable and enjoyable experience you and your children won’t soon forget.

Camping

It doesn’t get much lower cost than camping. You can even do it in your backyard! Cook simple food, toast marshmallows and stay up late. Borrow a tent from a friend, bring sheets and blankets from home to further reduce costs. Don’t forget your camera to take lots of pictures! You’ll want to save those pictures for your web photo album when all is said and done.

Hit the Road

Even though driving still has some associated costs it’s often less expensive for a family than flying. Make your trip about the journey and less about the destination. Take pictures at tourist traps along the way. Enjoy documenting the trip as much as what you do one you arrive. This is an opportunity to see a lot of different cities, places and people in a short span of time. Challenge each other once you return to see who can put together the best online photo galleries. You might be surprised to see what stuck out for each person.

Visit a Family Member

If you have a family member living somewhat close by why not go visit? Of course get their approval first. See their city through their eyes – chances are it will be much different than a typical tourist. You’ll save money on lodging and have a unique experience. Don’t forget to reciprocate the offer to them sometime!

These are three very inexpensive vacations you can enjoy without spending a lot of money, which ever you do, remember to capture the memories to a web photo album.

Use a Web Photo Album to Host an Online Thrift Sale

If clutter is taking over your garage or you have a big move planned you’re probably starting to wonder what to do with all your stuff. Sure there’s always the traditional way of hosting a thrift sale, by setting up tables outside and labeling all of your items but what if you’ve got more collectible things or lots of furniture that isn’t really “thrift sale” worthy priced? Host an online thrift sale!

Plenty of people look at sites like Craigslist to purchase goods. Instead of listing each of your items that are for sale create online photo galleries to share and price them all in one place. While doing a sale this way may not seem like any less work than the traditional route you may be able to get a better price for your things. Here are some tips to setting up your sale and photo galleries.

First, sort through everything you have that you are considering getting rid of. Decide what you will keep, what you will sell, and what you will give away. Designate a special place in your home or garage for all of the items that will go up for sale. Next, do some research on those items so that you can find out what the going price is. If you have antiques or items that are highly valuable consider selling them to an antique shop or private collection before putting them online in order to get the very best price. If this is not possible include them in your online sale. Save the information you find so that you can add it to your photo galleries.

Third, begin to take photographs of your items. The better the photograph the more likely your item is to sell. Use good, natural light and capture the item alone, not amongst a jumble of other things. Take a shot from multiple angles and if there are any flaws be sure to photograph them as well so that the buyer knows exactly what the condition of the item is. For bigger pieces of furniture it might make sense to take pictures of it in a room instead of your dusty garage. If people can see the piece “in action” they are better able to envision it in their homes. If this is not possible, simply take the best pictures possible.

It can take a lot of time to go through all of your items and photograph them so try and break your work into chunks. Once you have finished photographing for the day set up a web photo album for each theme of items. So have one album focused on furniture, with another on collectibles and so on. Add the images and then spend some time adding information from your research to the description boxes. Most importantly don’t forget your price! In the description of your photo galleries include your contact information and how people can pay. Finally publicize your albums on your social media accounts, on Craigslist and any other local resources that publish sales.

A Water Themed Birthday Party

Throwing a birthday party during summer months means there are lots of ways to have fun without spending much money. Try a water themed birthday party for a wet and wild good time! No matter what age your child is, this is a fun theme for all ages.

Start by sending out invitations shaped liked a water drop, and let parents know to send their children with their swimming suits, towels, and water shoes as well as an extra change of clothes. You can host the party in your backyard or at a park. Just be sure there’s a good water source nearby. Older kids might enjoy a water balloon fight while this may be too hard for smaller children. A water balloon toss or other challenge games using water balloons may be a better fit. Set up a water obstacle course using small pools, a sprinkler, or other water and land elements.

Be sure to cover your smart phone or camera with a waterproof shield so that you can still take pictures for your birthday online photo galleries without wrecking your equipment. You’ll be sure to capture some really fun images if you’re not worried about your camera getting splashed.

For the meal you can stick with classic picnic food or develop a menu around the water theme. To make it even more interesting why not have a meal where no utensils are used. It won’t matter how messy everyone gets because they can hose off when they’re all done!

Send your guests’ home with a liquid inspired goodie bag. You might include a new water bottle, a favorite drink, a jar of bubbles, and other items that fit the party theme. This party is sure to be one to remember for a long time and you’ll have the photo memories for years to come!

After the party you can always share your created online photo gallery with the guests so all can enjoy the memories in the years to come.

Relaxation Tips for Busy Moms

Does it seem like your day never ends? One minute you’re waking the kids up, making breakfast, and running in a million directions and before you know it dinner needs to be on the table, baths, and you’re collapsing in bed. You barely have a minute to yourself. Busy moms need to take the time to take care of themselves! Constantly caring for and being in the service of others can take a major toll.

There are many ways to relax – the trick is finding what works for you.  Some people just need a quick nap every now and then to recharge. Others find a hobby like photography that recharges their batteries and helps them unwind. Whatever it is, finding something to help you de-stress is important. Mom time refuels the tank so that you can give to your family as well as yourself in equal measure.  Don’t be ashamed to sit for fifteen minutes doing nothing.  If going outside and photographing the birds nest in your backyard to add to your web photo album makes you smile – do it! Reading a book for 30 minutes can also seem like heaven to many moms.

Here are a few tips to help you fit in some relaxation time:

1. Get Up Early.  This might sound like the opposite of relaxing but if you have kids you know as soon as they are awake your day is off to a hurried pace. Getting up 30-60 minutes ahead of time gives you time for quiet solitude to sit, read a book, or meditate.

2. Turn Every Activities into Major Events. Everyone needs to bathe. Next time you take a bath light a few candles, use a special bubble bath and turn on some music. You’ve just taken something you would be doing anyway and made it a little extra special.

3. Ask for Help.  It can feel like you’re expected to be super-mom but it’s important for kids to spend time with other people as well. Ask your spouse, or other family members for help. Maybe they can head to the park for an hour or two. Or maybe grandpa would love to take the kids fishing. Your children will benefit from making web photo album worthy memories and you’ll get the much needed time you need.

4. Always be Prepared, and Your Time won’t be Spent Rushing but in a More Relaxed mode. Pack lunches for the next day while you’re putting away dinner leftovers. Iron clothes and set out outfits ahead of time. Small things like this mean your day will be calmer.

5. Laugh! Study after study has shown that laughing reduces stress levels. Keep a funny calendar on your desk, subscribe for daily joke emails, or take 5 minutes to watch that funny YouTube video.

You must take time to care for your emotional and physical wellbeing so that you can be the best mom possible!  You owe it to yourself to take a break and relax!

Money Saving Tips for Photographing Kids and Family

Taking yearly pictures is a tradition in many families. This year instead of investing in a professional photographer and paying for expensive prints, try another route. By creating a web photo album for sharing your pictures, asking friends and family with a keen eye, and having a print it yourself motto you’ll have family pictures without breaking the piggy bank.

The most important part of the equation is having a photographer who can take good pictures. Ask around to see if you have any friends or family with photography talent. You can offer them dinner out or some other (though smaller) financial compensation than a professional. They might be interested in a barter if you have a skill that you can trade.

Next, create a web photo album for the pictures. Once they are done shooting the images they can upload them to your album or share the memory card allowing you to upload them. Use online photo editing software to adjust any problems or add highlights to the pictures. Remember even professional photographers rely on retouching tools to get the final product you see!

Finally share the address of your online photo galleries with family and friends who may want to see or have print pictures. Allow them to make the choice about which image they want and let them print the picture at their favorite printing shop. This way you don’t end up with lots of pictures that you won’t use. You can of course select any images you like and have them printed or add them to your digital scrapbook. In the future you can go back to the photo album and make reprints anytime.

This is a great way to still have nice pictures taken of your family without the sometimes excessive costs of professional photography.

Making Memories Close to Home

If taking a summer vacation isn’t in your budget this year, you can still have a great time close to home. Play tourist in your own city and discover some unknown corners. No one wants to sit at home all summer so get out, explore and make memories for your online photo galleries!

Everyone loves water, check out local pools, lakes, and rivers for places to swim or just relax near the water. Make a list of all the different places and spend all summer exploring what’s nearby. You can create a web photo album to save all of your pictures. At the end of the summer take a family poll and decide which your favorite was. You may even consider submitting your list and suggestions to your local tourist board to share with visitors.

Are there museums or historical monuments in your city? You probably overlooked them as points of interest but take this opportunity to visit. Learn a little more about local history and have a good time. Some may even offer day camps for kids that are low cost or free. Parks are another great thing to explore. Visit your local and state parks nearby and see what they offer. Pack a picnic and make a day of your adventure.

While you’re rating things why not have an ice cream eating contest? Make a list of all local ice cream parlors or shops that sell ice cream. Then tackle one each week. Vote on your favorite flavors and make notes about what you did or didn’t like. This is a low cost way to spend time together and enjoy a snack. You could do the same thing with restaurants or another local specialty.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money or go far from home to create fun summer memories!

Preserving Old Photographs

Have you recently stumbled across or inherited a box of old images. Maybe you have a shoebox in your attic gathering dust. Over time images degrade and break down without proper care and attention. Today it’s possible to easily transfer physical images to a digital format and store in online photo galleries. This should be your first step.

Pull out all of your images and take the time to scan them and upload them to a web photo album. Take the time to copy over any writing that is found on the back of the images, especially if it relates to who is in the picture. You may still want to preserve the original images. This can be done very carefully.

First store pictures in a stable environment. It should be cool, dark, and dry with low humidity. Don’t use tape to secure the pictures to anything. If a picture tears place it into a clear envelope instead of trying tape it back together.

If you want to arrange the pictures into an album to keep them all together buy an archival quality album that is acid free. Look for pages that are polyethylene. You can also store them in acid free boxes with acid free paper dividers. If images are dirty do not attempt to clean them yourself. A professional photo restorer can do this work. Pictures are made using different types of chemicals and to an amateurs eyes it’s not generally clear what has been used.

If you have really old photographs (100+ years old) don’t display them in the open –the air and light can destroy them quickly. Instead make a reproduction to put on display. Most of all don’t keep the pictures hidden away in boxes for future generations to deal with. The longer they are left unattended the more damage can be done.

Make Lunch Fun This School Year

Back to school is right around the corner. For many parents this means packing a lunch every day. While some kids will eat anything without complaints others simply won’t. Before school starts create a web photo album to save your favorite ideas. You’ll have a great resource to pull up when you’re feeling less than creative. Here are some more ideas you can use to make school lunches tempting and nutritious.

Most kids would love to find chips and candy in their lunch but parents would rather their lunches to be nutritious. To make it work, find ways to make them fun and your kids will look forward to a healthy lunch each day.

Sit down with your kids ahead of time and ask them what they’d like to eat. Better yet have them help you build online photo galleries of lunch items. Sure they’ll ask for things you’d prefer them not to eat but try to allow some of their favorite things- they’ll be more likely to eat the other items as well.

Dropping a note in your child’s lunch bag or box to let them know you’re thinking of them is a nice way to remind them you care. Another motivator is choosing a lunch box they love or trying bento boxes to separate their food.

Most children love to dip their foods so try and include some dipping options with vegetables and fruit – you may find they eat more when they can dip it. Give your child rolled-up sandwiches, or wraps instead of regular sandwiches. You can cut them into easy to hold pinwheels. Or use a special cookie cutter for normal sandwiches.  All of these ideas can help you take lunch time from boring to an event that kids look forward to and you know they’re eating well.

5 Ways to Improve Your Pictures Today

Tired of taking fuzzy images? Do you always cut off someone’s head in the pictures you’re taking? Is your foreground always out of focus? Many people give up on photography and claim they’re simply no good. But, like all things taking good quality images takes practice. Photography is an art and you wouldn’t expect to sit down and recreate the Mona Lisa would you? Of course not! It would take many, many attempts and you still may not capture it. While you work on expanding your online photo galleries take these five ways to improve your images into consideration right away.

1. Read Your Manual and then Find More. How many of us actually read the instruction manual when we get something new? Not very many. But this is your best resource while you’re learning how to operate your camera. Read through it front to back and practice what it’s telling you. Make note of the things you don’t understand or remain unclear and then search for additional resources to learn from.

2. Take Pictures and Lots of Them. The only way you’re really going to get better is to take more pictures. You need to practice photographing many different things in different lighting and situations. Look for new angles; stand on a chair, lay on the ground, shoot through a window. Whatever you choose don’t just stick with what you know – challenge yourself!

3. Use a Tripod. This a small investment to make but can go a long way to taking better images. Tripods stabilize your camera and allow you to adjust the settings without moving the camera itself. Even a small movement can change the settings. Not an issue with the tripod.

4. Look for Natural Light. A photographer’s best friend is good light. The right natural light can really make for the best image possible. However you’re forced to work with the light you have. Use shade, shadows and even a low cost reflector to play with the light and frame your image. Learning how to use natural light will be very helpful should you decide to ever shoot in a photography studio.

5. Limit Yourself. Just like taking lots and lots of pictures will help you hone your skills limiting yourself can do the same. Why not give yourself a month long, photo a day project. Allow yourself to only take one image each day. You’ll need to really focus on getting the shot right because you’ve only got one! If you think you may cheat, why not revert back to a film camera for the experiment? That way you’ll really only be allowed one shot! This could be a really great project for a scrapbook or dedicated web photo album.

Having all the best photo equipment in the world makes no difference if you don’t have any idea how to use it. But taking small steps every day to improve your photography skills will have you on your way to becoming a talented photographer.

5 Tips to Take Better Family Portraits

If your family is preparing to take the annual family picture or you’re a photographer who wants to take more portraits there are some easy tips to incorporate into your style that will take your pictures from good to great and enhance your web photo albums.

Get Rid of the Matching Outfits

Not too long ago it was common to see family photographs that had each member of the family in an identical, or almost identical outfit. Please do yourself a favor and avoid this! There’s nothing wrong with monochromatic outfits, keeping with the same color scheme or finding similar looking outfits but let each person’s personality shine through in the images. You’re not posing for a clothing catalog!

Arrange People Naturally or Staggered

Also long gone is the standard staged studio shot. Make your appearance natural. Let the photo subjects spread out and act in a natural way. Some of the best pictures aren’t shot face on with everyone smiling. It might be a parent gazing at a child or children playing together and not even looking into the camera. If the family does want a more traditional portrait, don’t line them up. Instead put them at different angles and stagger their heads to create a natural looking picture. You could even have them all laying down and focus on just the faces. The options are endless.

Capture Expression and Interaction

Smiles are great but what if the children of the family are having a great time laughing and playing with each other. Avoid the staged smile and capture things as they naturally unfold. Your photo galleries will display a diverse range of emotions and images if you capture things as they happen. You may not even want to stage anything but simply follow around your subjects for a period of time, taking pictures as things happen.

Use Favorite Objects or Activities

Does the family love horseback riding? Are they board game enthusiasts? Let the personality of each person and the family itself come through in the pictures. Encourage them to do the things that they normally do and bring with them to the site those items they love. Capture dad and son tossing a baseball. Lay out a blanket for a picnic and take pictures of the event. Whatever it is that really speaks to them that’s what will make for a great photograph.

Have Fun!

This is the most important thing, especially when children are involved. No one wants to sit for an hour or more doing something they hate. You’ll never get the image you want if kids are tired or bored. Make the event fun and interesting. Move to different locations. You might even want to let kids be involved in choosing the places they want to be photographed. The easier you can make it the better the pictures will be!

Taking family portraits can be a fun and rewarding experience. You’ll be left with pictures that are beautiful and truly meaningful.

How Do You Share Your Photos?

Sometimes we can take so many photos especially in the summer as we travel, hit the beach and are having fun. But how do you share those photos with those you love? Sometimes the images lie stored on an SD card or on your phone and don’t get shared.

So how do you share yours? Many of today’s smartphones and even cameras are WIFI equipped making sharing simple across online platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Using Facebook or Instagram is an easy way to share your photos but sometimes not all of them get posted. So what do you do with all those photos?

Sharing is caring, especially where family members are concerned. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and even cousins love to share in the joy of your special moments so what are the best ways to share your photos?

There are several sites that offer an online website photo album. You can always store and share your photos from one of these. If a photo is worth a thousand words you really do want to be able to collect your photos are share them.

Synching your photos to an online photo album is now simple and easy and many of them allow you to email your photo album links to family and friends and some even allow for curating from already shared photos on Instagram and Facebook, and other social sharing sites.

There are lots of ways you can share your photos. Just make sure you upload them to your photo album. Did you know you once in an album it is easy to organize them. You can have one for a vacation, another for a back to school inspiration list, another for even your favorite recipes.

So what are some of your favorite ways to share your favorite photos?

A Cooking Adventure for Couples

Looking for date ideas to share with your partner? One idea is to plan a romantic cooking adventure. It will allow you both to learn different kinds of cuisines, give you a project to collaborate on, and it will be a lot of fun! Keep your camera close by because you’ll want to add these memories to your web photo album.

How to Set Up the Date

You will need a few days during the week to complete your adventure. Scheduling it for every Monday and Wednesday, or every Saturday puts it on your calendar and makes it something to look forward to. On that night, you'll learn together how to cook one or two dishes from a specific kind of cuisine. One night could be sushi rolling or another night could be making fresh pasta from scratch. The basic idea is to select new meals that neither of you know how to make and learn it together.

You’re sure to have a lot of good (or maybe not so good!) food, laughter, and fun. You can take pictures while you’re cooking and after to remember the night. Create a special web photo album to store all the images from these evenings. You may want to include links to or typed directions of the recipes you used.

Who’s The Boss? 

For each evening designate who will be the lead chef and who is the sous chef. This can create an interesting dynamic for couples. One day one person is in charge and the next, the tables are turned! Having this division also helps keep things moving along. The job of the lead chef is to make most of the decisions like choosing the recipes, deciding where and which ingredients to buy, and direction in the kitchen. While the sous chef assists the chef in every step along the way.

Getting Started 

Before embarking on this challenge make a list of the different dishes that you've both always loved but never thought you could learn how to cook. Maybe you’ve always loved French food but making sauces is just overwhelming. You may have cast aside the thought of ever learning!  Taking the time to learn together will show you what you’re capable of alone and as a couple.

If you’re feeling like you’re not ready to try making things alone, look for local cooking classes that you both can enroll in. There are also a lot of YouTube videos that can walk you through recipes. Most importantly don’t be afraid to try!

Open Your Doors and Your Table

After you’ve mastered a few recipes together and are confident with your skills why not invite over others to join the fun. Invite others to cook with you and turn the cooking nights into a small gathering with friends. Or you could simply invite friends or family over for a dinner party to showcase your new skills. This can be an even bigger challenge for you as a couple.

Bedroom Organizing Ideas

Doesn’t it feel like when your bedroom is organized, your whole day starts out better?  Not only is it easier to rest, but you’ll feel more relaxed and peaceful when you come home. Let’s face it a room full of clutter is not comforting! It might seem daunting to tackle a disorganized and cluttered room but once you do, you’ll be much happier.

Toss the Trash

It should be so simple to toss the receipts and scraps of paper that quickly takeover the dresser but what if you’re saving them for tax time or need to return something? For those receipts you need, place them in a basket or box and regularly scan and upload them to an online web photo album. That way when it comes to be tax time you’ll have a digital record of your receipts. Regularly sort through your papers and toss out anything that you truly don’t need or have already been recorded. Keep a trashcan close by to make this task easy.

Have a barrage of photos laying around the bedroom? Why not create an online web photo album.

Revenge of the Clothing Piles

Dirty laundry should immediately go in the laundry basket and once it’s full don’t hesitate moving it to the laundry room. Once the laundry has been washed and dry fold it while taking it out of the dryer or place it on hangers. If you immediately put it away it will be out of sight and out of mind. Avoid the temptation to “do it later.” We all know that time rarely comes!

Closet Organizing 101

Are your dresser drawers cramped with clothes? Do you have a pile of shoes in the corner of your room or filling up the floor under your bed? Does your closet look more like a tornado came through than a cohesive space? If this is the case then you’re certainly not going to find a sense of peace in your room. Closets are a space to tuck everything away neatly so it’s not causing you unneeded stress. There are many different closet organizers available, just like there are lots of ways to set up your closet. Choose something that is simple and fits all of your needs. That way you’ll be most likely to use it properly! Not to mention that by hanging things up and keeping them tidy, clothes and other items will likely last longer.

Drop and Run

When you’re in a hurry it’s easy to toss things on the bed and run. How many times have you changed your shirt and left the first one at the end of the bed? Or last nights’ jeans sitting on the bedspread after you crawled under the covers? Take the extra minute to put things in the proper space to keep your living space nice and neat.
By keeping your room organized and clean you will be on your way to a more restful nights’ sleep. Not only that you may discover you enjoy spending time with your loved one in the bedroom or time alone relaxing in your room.

Create a Grab and Go Emergency Pack

What do you do as soon as an emergency strikes? What if you only had a few minutes to get the most important things to you and leave the house? Most of us wouldn’t know where to start and would be grabbing at straws. Instead create a pack that is stocked and ready to go in case of an emergency or sudden evacuation happens. You can even prepare your documents ahead of time by creating dedicated online photo galleries where your important documents and photographs are scanned and saved. Here are some tips for things to remember when planning your own family's emergency packs.

Each member of your household should have his/her own pack with essentials, plus any specific items they need.  If you have children, prepare the essentials for their packs first and then talk with them to discuss any special items they would also like to include – items like a stuffed animal for comfort can be just as important as emergency survival gear.

Purchase or find a durable backpack for each survival pack. If you have small children you won’t want to over pack their bags. They won’t be able to carry as much weight as an adult. You may have to walk a distance, so it's important to plan for this comfort. Backpacks with lots of pockets are very handy to separate and store specific items.

Some of the items you should make sure to include are;

Water - FEMA recommends that each person have 1 gallon of drinking water per day. It’s important to be sure everyone stays properly hydrated. You may struggle to find clean drinking water. One gallon of water is 128 ounces, which is about 6 to 8 store-bought bottles depending on the size of the bottles. You can purchase portable small filters and water cleaning tablets which will take up less space.

Food - Pack nonperishable airtight packaged food. Things like granola, trail mix, snack and protein bars, beef jerky, nuts, dried fruit, or individually canned meat along with a manual can opener are good ideas. Plan enough to last several days.

Clothes – You’ll want to have a few options including plenty of clean socks, underwear, thin layers of shirts, a windproof and/or waterproof jacket, and a hat.  In a disaster situation you may have to walk for long distances, so, if your budget allows, pack an extra pair of good walking shoes.

Shelter - If you have a small pop up tent, this is the best solution. Include one small roll of plastic sheeting in each person's pack to form a waterproof layer on the ground for sitting and sleeping just in case you need to sleep outdoors.

What else should you pack? 

Besides water, food, and shelter, there are essentials that everyone should have access to when an emergency situation occurs. You’ll want to have a notebook with a list of all of your important passwords to things like your web photo album. If you’ve scanned your important documents you’ll need access to them.

Copies of identification, or any other important papers you may need, in a Ziploc plastic bag or waterproof containers can be very important. Write out and laminate one card for each person with important information.

Pack each bag carefully and mark with each person’s names. Regularly evaluate and update your packs. In the event of an emergency evacuation, each person can easily see which pack is theirs and will be able to grab it. You may never need to put these packs to the test, but isn't it better to know that they are ready if you do?

Think Beyond Food and Water When Planning Your Emergency Kit

The first thing we often think of when it comes to preparing for an emergency is evacuating our homes without the usual comforts and where we’ll be able to find food and water. However, there are times when an emergency situation lasts longer than a day or two. In those cases other skills and needs emerge.  When you’re preparing for an emergency keep these things in mind.

Along with food and water, shelter is a basic need that should be put at the top of your list. It’s hard to know what kind of shelter you’ll need as you can’t be sure what the emergency is. Being prepared with a variety of materials and supplies that work in different situations is the way to go. Some things that may be helpful include; tarps, rope, nails, hammer, and a handsaw. If you have the means purchase a pop up tent or two for your family. Don’t forget you’ll also want documents related to your home.

Keep a hard copy in a waterproof folder or bag. You also can scan your home owner’s policy, rental documents, and anything else relating to your home to a web photo album. This will live online and be accessible wherever you end up.

Tools make life easier and when a disaster happens knowing you have these already on hand will make everything easier. Make sure to have plenty of things that will let you move debris and cut through materials that may have fallen on your home. Consider looking into purchasing lightweight, multi-use tools that can easily be taken in the case of an emergency evacuation.

Unless you’re facing a very short term evacuation or emergency you won’t be able to carry enough water with you. This is where a filtration system comes in handy. You don’t need a top of the line system but you will need something. A large pot can be your best friend by allowing you to boil water you’re able to acquire.

People often forget the little things that make day to day easier and more comfortable. While priority should be given to the items needed to survive having personal care products will make life in an emergency situation easier. Put together a kit with things such as toilet paper, soap, toothbrushes, lotion, shampoo, a hairbrush, feminine care products, sunscreen, and a basic first aid kit. Even though they seem like basic everyday items it’s very easy to overlook adding them to a survival kit.

When thinking of personal effects saving your family photographs and important documents can be overlooked. Take the time to save everything to a web photo album before disaster strikes. While it may be sad to lose the original copies of heirloom photographs you can rest at ease knowing the photos aren’t lost forever and you can have new copies printed. The same is true for things like diplomas, certificates, and other paper artifacts that can easily be ruined in an emergency. 

Tips for Capturing Motion Shots

One of the most difficult images to catch is of people and things in motion. From sporting events to race car events and everything in between, no one wants to end up with photo galleries full of blurry images. It’s not a secret that you’ll need to practice to get the pictures you want but with some effort you’ll fill your album in no time.

1. Focus elsewhere. Don’t’ just focus on the action at hand. For example instead of focusing on the action of running, move your focus to the expression on the runner’s face, or a glimpse at another racer over the shoulder. Get creative and look for ways to capture the moment without needing to directly capture the motion at hand.
2. Shoot close. If you have a long lens it will be helpful in situations where you don’t have direct, close access. The closer you can get the better your images will be.
3. Rapid Shooting. Most cameras have settings that will take multiple pictures over a period of time. Set your camera on a tripod, and anticipate where the shot will go and set it to rapid shot. You won’t use all the images but you’ll have a better chance at capturing one!
4. Shoot wide. Just like shooting close brings emotion into the photograph, shooting wide expands the focus and brings in a different feel. Having a broad view can also help your viewers get a feel for the overall environment.
5. Angle. Adjust the angle you’re shooting from. Instead of straight on try shooting up or shooting down.

Not everyone will have a great web photo album full of action shots but when you work on some of these techniques and use a little creativity and innovation you’ll be on your way to live action success! 

What to Look for When Selecting a Web Photo Album Program

Not all things are created equal and web photo albums and online photo galleries are no exception to the rule. If you’re interested in creating your own albums then spending some time finding the right program is important. Here are a few things to look for;

Ease

How easy is the program to use? Can you upload multiple images at one time or can you only add a single image at a time. If you have many pictures than having a bulk upload option is going to save you a lot of time and hassle.  You’ll also want to know how easy it is to share your images and get the images out of the albums for things such as printing or sharing on social media.

Cost

This is the bottom line for many people. Before deciding understand all of the costs of a program, even if it’s free. Is it truly free or are you given a certain amount of space for free and then required to purchase more space. This might not be a problem for some but for other people this may not be desirable.

Limits

How many web photo albums are you permitted to create and what is the maximum number of pictures that can be in any album? Having a small number now may not seem like an issue but when you’re trying to save your 1000 holiday images and only allowed 500 it can be a big issue.

Security

What types of policies does the company have in place to protect your photo galleries? Read the agreement very carefully to make sure that it is completely in line with how you want your images to be accessed and potentially used. If you have any questions call before signing up and adding your pictures. You’ll also want to know what kind of backup policies they have so that your pictures and information aren’t lost.